LOS ANGELES (AP) – The entire Harry Potter series is set to return to the big screen later this month.

Warner Bros. says all eight Harry Potter films will screen in IMAX theaters for a one-week run beginning Oct. 13. It will mark the first-time that the first two films in the series, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” will be screened in IMAX.

The re-release of the Potter films comes ahead of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” a prequel of the Potter series that stars Eddie Redmayne and is set to hit theaters next month.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/10/03/all-8-harry-potter-films-returning-to-theaters/feed/0377060Disney to make live-action ‘Lion King,’ Favreau directinghttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/09/28/disney-to-make-live-action-lion-king-favreau-directing/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/09/28/disney-to-make-live-action-lion-king-favreau-directing/#respondWed, 28 Sep 2016 18:26:13 +0000http://www.wwaytv3.com/?p=375000The animated classic "The Lion King" will be the latest Disney film to get a live-action remake.]]>

NEW YORK (AP) – The animated classic “The Lion King” will be the latest Disney film to get a live-action remake.

Disney announced Wednesday that Jon Favreau, who helmed the box-office hit “Jungle Book” remake, will direct the new “Lion King.” He’s also at work on a “Jungle Book” sequel.

The circle of life now inevitably leads to live-action remakes for Disney classics. The new “Lion King” follows in the wake of similar remakes for “The Jungle Book,” ”Cinderella,” ”Pete’s Dragon” and the upcoming “Beauty and the Beast.”

The original 1994 “Lion King” grossed $968.8 million and won two Oscars, including one for the Elton John song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” The Grammy-winning soundtrack sold more than 14 million copies. And the hit Broadway musical has been running for 19 years.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The new “Rogue One” trailer aired last night during the Olympics and the 2-minute clip offers a lot for “Star Wars” fans. There is still a lot of mystery surrounding the standalone “Star Wars” film, but I invited a novice of the famed films to check out the clip and ask questions.

Hopefully our answers will help “Stars Wars” newbies to get a better grasp of a galaxy far, far away!

Here you go.

1 – What is this timeline on this?

Good question. This is set just before “A New Hope,” which is the original “Star Wars” film, released in 1977. So Luke Skywalker is still a kid, etc. But it’s “Episode IV,” so the three prequels have already happened.

2 – What are Imperial Flags?

The Evil Empire is starting to take over the galaxy under Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. These two are going through the galaxy, killing whoever resists them.

3 – Who is Felicity Jones?

She is Jyn Erso, who will presumably lead the mission to steal plans for the Death Star. If you’ve seen “A New Hope,” Luke blows it up using a fighter and The Force to guide his attack.

4 – What is the Death Star?

That’s the floating black object you see in the clip. It can destroy planets and that is what the rebels hope to take down.

5 – Who is the supporting cast?

Lots here. K-2SO is the new droid helping the rebels. Saw Gerrera, played by Forest Whitaker, looks to be a mentor for Erson, possibly from her home planet. Donnie Yen is the warrior you see pummeling stormtroopers and Ben Mendelsohn is Director Orson Krennic for the Empire, who may or may not be at odds with Darth Vader.

6 – Where are all the people I recognize (Yoda, R2D2)?

They may make cameos, but presumably not. Remember, this takes place just before “A New Hope,” so you may get glimpses, but they will be short because this film is meant to be a separate story.

7 – Is that Darth Vader at the End?

Yes! I mean, “Yassss!”

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/08/12/7-burning-questions-about-rogue-one/feed/0361620How ‘Ferris Bueller’ became one of the best high school films everhttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/06/11/how-ferris-bueller-became-one-of-the-best-high-school-films-ever/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/06/11/how-ferris-bueller-became-one-of-the-best-high-school-films-ever/#respondSat, 11 Jun 2016 11:19:45 +0000http://www.wwaytv3.com/?p=345082Thirty years after it was released in theaters, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" remains beloved and has found a new generation of fans.]]>

Thirty years after it was released in theaters, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” remains beloved and has found a new generation of fans.

The John Hughes classic film starred Matthew Broderick as a teen who skips school and spends the day in downtown Chicago with his girlfriend, played by Mia Sara, and his best friend, played by Alan Ruck. All the while he manages to creatively dodge his parents; his sister, played by Jennifer Grey; and his school’s dean of students, played by Jeffrey Jones.

Hughes, who died in 2009, wrote and directed some of comedy’s biggest blockbusters including “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Pretty in Pink” and “Home Alone.” He wrote the script for “Ferris” in less than a week and shot the film in his hometown Chicago. After it was released on June 11, 1986, it went on to become one of the highest grossing films of that year.

Some of the film’s devices — Ferris speaking directly to the camera, the bromance between the seemingly opposite Ferris and his best bud Cameron and the prominent use of music to create de facto music videos — are recognizable in film and television today. So are some of the film’s breakout characters, including Jones’ Edward Rooney and Ben Stein’s economics teacher and a then-unknown Charlie Sheen, who played juvenile delinquent Garth Volbeck.

As to why the film endures, Stein, now a financial commentator, told ABC News, “It is about something very basic in human life, a wish to get away, escape responsibility, and have a day where your day is every fantasy you’ve ever had.”

It’s also about a period in life familiar to everyone.

“All kids, when they are forging their own identities from being kids to their own people, they want to feel powerful and like they are getting away with things,” Jones explained to ABC News.

And Ferris was the ultimate teenage master of manipulation.

“He gets to be the thing that every human be wants to be, the coolest kid in high school,” Stein said. “For men, especially, the absolute zenith would be to be the coolest kid in high school.”

Looking back 30 years, Stein and Jones shared some behind-the-scenes stories from the making of this modern classic.

Stein Ad-Libbed

Stein, an economist and former Nixon speechwriter, was asked by his friend Michael Chinich, a Hollywood casting director and then head of Hughes’ production company, to stop by the set and do a reading off camera as the economics teacher. Stein proceeded to read a roll call of names in his flat nasally voice. “The student extras were laughing so hard that John Hughes said, ‘Well let’s put you on camera.'”

Stein then ad-libbed an economics lecture.

“I had never seen the whole cast and crew give applause at the end of a scene, and they did that in my scene,” he recalled. “I was so stupid, I thought, ‘Wow, they’ve learned something about why supply-side economics doesn’t work and they’re grateful and that’s why they’re clapping.’ And I didn’t realize it was because they thought I played a boring teacher so well.”

So well that when Stein travels through airports today, people will ask him to say “Bueller, Bueller” like he did in the movie. “It’s just phenomenal how much that happens. I love it,” said Stein, adding that his time on the set was the “best day of my life.”

Rooney Was Based on Hughes’ Assistant Principal

Before shooting began, Hughes took Jones on a trip to meet the assistant principal at his old high school in Chicago. “We met him in his office, and he was wearing a suit,” recalled Jones, who played the emperor in “Amadeus.” “He was kind of like ex-military, not an educator as far as I could see. He was a disciplinarian. John nudged me and said, ‘Look at his belt.’ The guy turned around and his suit jacket was open. He was wearing a handgun. I was gobsmacked.”

He and Clint Eastwood ended up serving as inspiration for Jones’ portrayal of Rooney.

Thank Jones for ‘Danke Schoen’

One of the highlights of the film was when Ferris and his friends join a downtown Chicago parade and lip-sync Wayne Newton’s cover of “Danke Schoen” as well as The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout” to get the entire crowd dancing.

Jones recalled riding around Chicago with Hughes at the wheel and Broderick, Ruck and Sara in the back. While taking the cast around to see the various locations for the film, Hughes would play different cassette tapes of music he was considering for the film. The late director explained that for the parade sequence he wanted to use a Beatles song but also wanted something with a Chicago feel. So Jones suggested polka music or something schmaltzy, like Wayne Newton. Hughes, who had never heard of Newton, stopped at the nearest record store and came out with a copy of “Danke Schoen.”

Jones, who had been rifling through a rack of sunglasses, then showed Hughes what he had found. Hughes loved all three pairs, including one that flipped up, and they each ended up in the film.

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/06/11/how-ferris-bueller-became-one-of-the-best-high-school-films-ever/feed/0345082Allman film director wins release after year in Georgia jailhttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/03/23/allman-film-director-wins-release-after-year-in-georgia-jail/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/03/23/allman-film-director-wins-release-after-year-in-georgia-jail/#respondWed, 23 Mar 2016 19:42:44 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=325778A movie director has won release from a Georgia jail after serving a year behind bars for the death of a crew member during filming of a movie about singer Gregg Allman.]]>

By RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) – A movie director has won release from a Georgia jail after serving a year behind bars for the death of a crew member during filming of a movie about singer Gregg Allman.

Don Samuel, an attorney for former “Midnight Rider” director Randall Miller, said a judge ordered Miller freed during a court hearing Wednesday. Miller was halfway through a two-year sentence after he pleaded guilty in March 2015 to involuntary manslaughter in the death of camera assistant Sarah Jones.

Jones was run over by a freight train in 2014 as Miller’s crew was filming on a railroad bridge in southeast Georgia. The crew did not have permission to work on the train tracks.

Miller’s attorneys argued the director’s good behavior in jail had earned him early release.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/03/23/allman-film-director-wins-release-after-year-in-georgia-jail/feed/0325778Disney: Spielberg, Ford to reunite for new Indiana Joneshttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/03/15/disney-spielberg-ford-to-reunite-for-new-indiana-jones/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/03/15/disney-spielberg-ford-to-reunite-for-new-indiana-jones/#respondTue, 15 Mar 2016 17:49:20 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=323314Indiana Jones is returning once again, complete with its original star and director.]]>

Indiana Jones is returning once again, complete with its original star and director.

Walt Disney Studios announced today that Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg will reunite for a fifth edition of the “Indiana Jones” franchise. Spielberg, who has directed the four previous installments, will again direct the yet-to-be-named movie. The film is set to hit theaters on July 19, 2019, the studio said.

“Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can’t wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019,” Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn said in a news release. “It’s rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven.”

Fans met famed archaeologist and explorer Indiana Jones in 1981’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” That was followed up by “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984), “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989) and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008). Disney says the four films have grossed nearly $2 billion at box offices around the world.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Latest on the 88th annual Academy Awards being presented Sunday at the Dolby Theatre (all times local):

9:45 p.m.

This year’s Oscar plan to limit laundry-list speeches met with only limited success.

Producers inaugurated an on-screen crawl that gave nominees the chance to submit names of those they wished to thank in advance so that the eventual winner could give a more substantive speech.

But even as names sped past the bottom of the screen like a stock-market report, winners couldn’t resist adding onstage shoutouts, including the filmmakers for the documentary feature “Amy.”

There was a mid-show effort apparently aimed at encouraging cooperation when a ceremony announcer assured the theater audience that the thank-you scrolls were getting “huge support” on social media.

The crawl also appeared selectively: It wasn’t seen for several categories, including the major acting awards won by Leonardo DiCaprio and Brie Larson.

– lynnelber on Twitter

___

9:35 p.m.

That hurricane of gold confetti that closed out this year’s Oscars may have looked fabulous on TV but it wreaked havoc on everyone inside the Dolby Theatre.

Chris Evans fished pieces out of his beard. Common picked bits of it off his head. Alejandro G. Inarritu also found remnants in his long locks.

However, Leonard DiCaprio was unfazed by the gold flecks. After the ceremony, he did a little shimmy on stage with his Oscar in hand with “The Revenant” cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki while a few flecks of confetti remained on his head.

While most attendees headed for the Governors Ball and after-parties immediately after the show, Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis stuck around to share a moment on stage with host Chris Rock.

– Derrik J. Lang derrikjlang on Twit

___

9:15 p.m.

Sam Smith’s touching acceptance speech for best original song has made him a hero at the Elton John Foundation’s Oscars-viewing party.

Smith dedicated his award Sunday to the gay community, saying, “”I stand here tonight as a proud gay man and I hope that we can all stand together as equals one day.”

Guests at the party jumped out of their seats and applauded Smith as he spoke.

Smith won for “Writing’s on the Wall,” the theme from the latest James Bond film, “Spectre.”

– Kay Angrum kayangrum on Twitter.

___

9:05 p.m.

The rape survivors featured in Lady Gaga’s performance of her Oscar-nominated original song received a star-studded send-off as they filed out of the Dolby Theatre through the audience.

A jubilant Brie Larson embraced almost every woman and man as they walked past her front-row seat.

Kate Winslet stood up to hug members of the group.

Diane Warren, who co-wrote “‘Til It Happens to You” with Gaga, immediately positioned herself at the bottom of the stage’s steps to offer hugs and kisses following the moving performance.

– Derrik J. Lang derrikjlang on Twitter.

9 p.m.

“Spotlight” has won the best picture Academy Award.

The film tells the story of the Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into child sex abuse by Catholic priests. It starred Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo and John Slattery.

Eight films were nominated in the category, but throughout Hollywood’s awards season the competition had been primarily between three films: “The Big Short,” ”The Revenant” and “Spotlight.”

“Spotlight” won the best original screenplay award at the outset of the Oscars ceremony Sunday.

___

8:56 p.m.

Leonardo DiCaprio finally has an Oscar after winning the best actor Academy Award for his performance in the survival epic “The Revenant.”

DiCaprio has been nominated five times for acting Oscars, dating back to 1993’s “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” Acting’s highest honor has eluded him despite years of strong performances in films such as “The Aviator,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

He played fur trapper Hugh Glass in director Alejandro Inarritu’s “The Revenant,” which involved the actor plunging into icy waters and eating raw bison to portray his character’s efforts to survive in the wilderness after a bear attack.

___

8:52 p.m.

Vice President Joe Biden introduced Lady Gaga’s original song-nominated performance at the Oscars with an exhortation that people step up and put an end to sexual assault.

Calling himself “the least qualified man here,” Biden encouraged the audience to help change the culture by intervening in situations where consent has not or cannot be given.

The vice president then introduced Lady Gaga, who sang and played piano on”Til It Happens to You,” a song she co-wrote for “The Hunting Ground.”

Gaga was joined by several victims of sexual assault, who had messages written in black on their bare arms.

___

8:50 p.m.

Brie Larson is the winner of the best actress Academy Award for her portrayal of a mother struggling to raise her son in captivity.

Larson won for “Room,” in which she plays a woman who gives birth to a son after being kidnapped and held captive for years. She attempts to give her son a sense of normalcy until circumstances force her to plot an escape.

It was the 26-year-old actress’ first Oscar nomination. She also won Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for her work on the film, which is adapted from an Emma Donoghue novel.

__

8:40 p.m.

Not all of Sunday’s Oscar excitement was happening at the Oscars.

In nearby West Hollywood Park, stars packed the annual Elton John AIDS Foundation viewing party, one of several swanky soirees unfolding during Sunday night’s awards show.

Caitlyn Jenner posed for pictures with fans in a tight Zac Posen dress before heading inside, where she kept close to Heidi Klum, as the two laughed and whispered together;.

The star of the viewing party, Elton John, was expected to arrive a bit later.

– Kay Angrum kayangrum on Twitter.

___

8:37 p.m.

Alejandro G. Inarritu is a back-to-back Oscar winner for best director.

“The Revenant” director won the directing Academy Award Sunday for the his revenge tale, which features Leonardo DiCaprio braving icy elements to tell the 19th century survival tale about a fur trapper left for dead after a bear mauling.

The Mexican filmmaker won three Oscars at last year’s ceremony, including for best picture and writing “Birdman.” He was nominated in 2007 as best director for “Babel.” ”The Revenant” was this year’s top-nominated film.

The win is the second Oscar awarded to “The Revenant” during Sunday’s ceremony.

___

8:27 p.m.

Sam Smith’s song from the latest James Bond film is the winner of the Academy Award for best original song.

Smith and Jimmy Napes won for “Writing’s On the Wall” from “Spectre.” Adele’s song “Skyfall” for the previous Bond film won the Academy Award in 2013.

Smith was overcome with emotion while accepting the award, referencing an article that stated that there was no openly gay Oscar winner.

Smith dedicated his win to the LGBT community and said, “I stand here tonight as a proud gay man and I hope that we can all stand together as equals one day.”

___

8:20 p.m.

Ennio Morricone (EHN’-yoh mor-ee-KOH’-nee) has won the Academy Award for best original score for his work on “The Hateful Eight.”

The Italian composer has created some of cinema’s most-recognizable music, scoring Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns such as “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and music for “The Untouchables.”

It is the 87-year-old’s first Oscar for his work on an individual film. He was awarded an honorary Academy Award in 2007.

Morricone praised his fellow nominees, singling out “Star Wars” composer John Williams. Morricone says, “There isn’t a great soundtrack without a great movie to inspire it.”

___

8:15 p.m.

Stars are offered hair and makeup touch-ups just before taking the stage for an Oscar presentation.

Reese Witherspoon took up the offer Sunday night but began to have second thoughts when a stylist started brushing her hair.

“I might fall asleep, though, if you brush it any more,” she said. “I’m like a cat.”

– Sandy Cohen apsandy on Twitter

___

8:09 p.m.

Hungary’s “Son of Saul” has won the best foreign language film Academy Award.

The film tells the story of a Jewish man forced to work at a Nazi death camp who seeks a proper religious burial for a boy who he believes is his son.

Director Laszlo Nemes used long tracking shots to follow the film’s protagonist as he navigates the horrors of the death camp.

After appearing during the Oscar broadcast, the girls came back during commercial breaks to hawk more treats to hungry celebs.

They quickly found customers in Steven Spielberg and Benicio del Toro. Christian Bale picked up a box, too, after asking his wife to loan him the cash.

As soon as Henry Cavil scored his box of Thin Mints the “Man of Steel” star ripped it open and dug in.

Hey, even Superman gets hungry during a long awards show.

-Derrik J. Lang derrikjlang on Twitter.

___

7:45 p.m.

An intimate look at the life of late singer Amy Winehouse is the winner of the best feature documentary Academy Award.

“Amy” won the documentary honor at Sunday’s ceremony. Director Asif Kapadia used archival footage and testimonials to offer new insights into Winehouse, who died in 2011 from accidental alcohol poisoning.

The film won the Grammy Award for best music film earlier this month.

The best documentary short Oscar was awarded to the film, “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness.”

___

7:30 p.m.

Mark Rylance is the winner of the best supporting actor Academy Award for his role as a Russian operative in “Bridge of Spies.”

Rylance was a first time nominee and won Sunday for his portrayal of Russian spy Rudolf Abel, who becomes part of a high-stakes prisoner exchange during the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union.

The actor praised director Steven Spielberg and co-star Tom Hanks in his acceptance speech, which was cut short by the orchestra while Rylance was praising his fellow nominees.

___

7:15 p.m.

Pixar’s “Inside Out” is the winner of the best animated feature film Academy Award.

The film tells the story of a young girl’s emotions as her family relocates from Minnesota to San Francisco. Director Pete Docter has said the film, which mixes science with his experience, has also resonated with the parents of special needs children.

The film features an all-star vocal cast including Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black and Mindy Kaling. The win is the studio’s eighth in the category.

“Bear Story” won the best animated short Academy Award during Sunday’s ceremony.

___

7:10 p.m.

It was a loud movie after all.

The Oscar-winning team of sound editors for “Mad Max: Fury Road” were celebrating so loudly backstage that they didn’t hear their colleagues’ name announced when they won for sound mixing.

The film has won six Oscars so far Sunday night.

– Sandy Cohen apsandy on Twitter.

___

7:05 p.m.

Actress and Fox News personality Stacey Dash says she wants to bring a different kind of diversity to Hollywood – and that’s why she participated in one of the oddest Oscar moments.

The former “Clueless” actress has attracted attention lately for her conservative viewpoints, including suggesting on Fox that there should not be a Black History Month. Dash, who is black, also spoke out against people complaining that the Oscars didn’t reflect diversity.

She was jokingly introduced by host Chris Rock as director of the Oscar’s minority outreach program. Dash strode onstage to say “I cannot wait to help my people out. Happy Black History Month!”

The joke fell flat, perhaps because many people in the audience didn’t understand the reference.

Dash explained online why she did it, saying ideological diversity is much harder to achieve in Hollywood.

___

7 p.m.

The Oscar ceremony’s producers weren’t kidding when they warned attendees before the broadcast began that all winners would strictly have no more than 45 seconds for their acceptance speeches.

So far just about all the night’s champions have been getting played off inside the Dolby Theatre by the orchestra, including supporting actress Oscar winner Alicia Vikander. In past years, producers have been more lenient with the time crunch when it comes to famous faces.

The show’s producers said before the show they would scroll the names of people winners wanted to thank as the winners made their speeches.

– Derrik J. Lang derrikjlang on Twitter.

___

6:58 p.m.

The robots of “Ex Machina” have beat out “Star Wars” and “Mad Max” to win the visual effects Academy Award.

The thriller stars Alicia Vikander as a robot able to pass as a human. The understated visual effects beat out the seventh installment of the “Star Wars” franchise and the return of “Mad Max” to the big screen.

The honor denied a seventh Oscar win Sunday night to “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which had won in several other categories.

___

6:50 p.m.

Leonardo DiCaprio is the life of the party in the front row at the Oscars.

During an early commercial break, the best actor front-runner for “The Revenant” hosted a reunion with his “The Great Gatsby” co-star and friend Tobey Maguire.

Common, who won the original song Oscar last year with John Legend for “Glory” from “Selma,” quickly joined the DiCaprio party for a chat. Meanwhile, Charlize Theron planted a kiss on DiCaprio’s cheek as she headed back to her seat from her Oscar presenting duties.

On the other side of the theater, Jennifer Garner made the rounds , stopping to gab with Emily Blount and Kate Winslet before heading backstage.

– Derrik J. Lang derrikjlang on Twitter.

___

6:40 p.m.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” is the winner of the Academy Award for film editing.

The award went to editor Margaret Sixel, who is the wife of “Mad Max” director George Miller.

It is the fourth award the film has won during Sunday’s ceremony.

___

6:38 p.m.

Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki has won the Academy Award for cinematography for the third year in a row.

The Mexican filmmaker won for his work on “The Revenant,” his second win for work with director Alejandro G. Inarritu. His use of long shots and reliance only on natural light helped the film garner 13 nominations.

Lubezki won last year for Inarritu’s film “Birdman” and won in 2014 for “Gravity.” He has been nominated eight times in the category.

Lubezki says it is an incredible honor and thanked Inarritu and actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, who appeared in the film.

___

6:35 p.m.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” is steamrolling through some early Oscar categories with three wins for the action blockbuster’s costumes, makeup and production design.

The film about a future where water is a scarce resource is the second-most nominated film Sunday evening, with 10 nominations. It has won awards in the first three categories it was nominated in.

Only “The Revenant” has more Oscar nominations this year.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” is also nominated for best picture and best director for Australian George Miller, who returned the franchise to the big screen last year after a 30-year hiatus.

Colin Gibson, who won an Oscar Sunday for production design, compared the film’s eclectic cast of characters to the real-life crisis the Academy faces on diversity of its film nominees. Gibson said in his acceptance speech, “I’d like to chalk this one up as the first Oscar for diversity.”

___

6:15 p.m.

Alicia Vikander is the winner of the best supporting actress Academy Award for her portrayal of the wife of an artist who realizes he is transgender.

Vikander is a first-time nominee for her role in “The Danish Girl” opposite actor Eddie Redmayne. Redmayne is nominated for the best actor award, which will be announced later Sunday.

The actress thanked Redmayne, calling him the best acting partner.
___

6:05 p.m.

Minutes before presenting Sunday’s first Oscar of the night, for original screenplay, Charlize Theron joked backstage that she’d open the envelope and reveal the winner – for a price.

She said, “I’ll do it for a fiver.”

___

5:55 p.m.

Academy Awards host Chris Rock hardly shied away from the topic of diversity in his opening monologue, diving right in by calling the Oscars the “white people’s choice awards” and noting the number of black faces shown in the opening montage of film clips.

The second-time Oscar host said in his monologue that if hosts were nominated like people in the acting categories, people would be watching Neil Patrick Harris instead.

He talked about the pressure put on him not to host the awards following the diversity controversy. He said he wasn’t going to quit because “the last thing I need is to lose another job to Kevin Hart.”

But Rock hardly gave Hollywood a pass. He said Hollywood’s racism is like sorority racism, where a girl is deemed “not Kappa material.” And he said black actors should get the same opportunities as white actors – like Leonardo DiCaprio gets a great part every year.

___

5:49 p.m.

The writers of “Spotlight” have won the best original screenplay Academy Award.

The script by Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy tells the story of the Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation of sex abuse by Catholic priests.

“Spotlight” is also nominated for best picture and McCarthy is nominated for best director.

McCarthy says they made the film for all the journalists who hold those in power accountable.

___

4:55 p.m.

It seems Ryan Seacrest does not forget.

Seacrest turned down the chance to talk to Sasha Baron Cohen on the Oscars red carpet this year, four years after Baron Cohen showered him with ashes on a red carpet.

This year, when Baron Cohen walked by with his wife, Isla Fisher, Seacrest said “No” and turned away.

Speaking to AP a moment later, Baron Cohen joked about the snub.

Later, the two men hugged it out as Baron Cohen interrupted Seacrest’s interview with Lady Gaga to ask for a hug and the two embraced.

– Nekesa Moody nekesamumbi

___

4:50 p.m.

Veteran actors have a different perspective on all the Oscars hoopla.

So says Sylvester Stallone, up for a best supporting actor award for his role in “Creed.” During the initial hoopla of the first “Rocky,” Stallone said he didn’t really appreciate what it all meant. Now he’s just soaking it in.

Stallone told The Associated Press on the red carpet that “all the aches and pains go away. You feel reborn.”

Same thing for Bryan Cranston, competing for best actor after playing the lead role in “Trumbo.” He says he’s just a kid from California’s San Fernando Valley who can’t quite believe his “fairy tale” life as an actor. He says he never wants to forget how lucky he is.

___

4:30 p.m.

He may be a former Super Bowl champion, but on the Oscars red carpet he’s just Aaron Rodgers – the boyfriend of Olivia Munn.

At one point, with not much to do, he chatted up rapper and Oscar winner Common.

– Nekesa Moody, nekesamumbi

___

4:20 p.m.

Dave Grohl is attending his first Oscars, so the Foo Fighters frontman made sure to arrive in plenty of time.

Fans in the red-carpet bleachers responded by showering him with love, cheering and shouting his name.

Grohl responded with a big smile and a hearty wave.

Other early arrivals include songwriter Diane Warren, young actor Jacob Tremblay of “Room” and Whoopi Goldberg.

– Beth Harris bethharrisap

___

3:50 p.m.

Veteran actor Louis Gossett Jr. sympathizes with the protesters who say the Oscars should better represent the nation’s diversity, but he and colleague Whoopi Goldberg had no interest in boycotting the event.

Gossett says that if the Oscars are going to change, it has to come from the inside.

He spoke to The Associated Press Sunday on the red carpet heading into the event. The 79-year-old actor, who performed in “Roots” and “An Officer and a Gentleman,” let his feelings be known when asked who he was rooting for at the Oscars. He mentioned Will Smith, who was not nominated for his role in the movie, “Concussion.”

Goldberg, also on the red carpet, says boycotts are a pain.

She said: “If you really want to protest, then don’t go to the movies that don’t have the people you want to see.”

___

3:40 p.m.

Mark Ruffalo and the director of “Spotlight” have joined a group protesting sex abuse in the Catholic Church before Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony.

The Los Angeles Times reports Sunday that Ruffalo and director Tom McCarthy joined a group of about 20 people protesting sex abuse in the Catholic Church outside Los Angeles’ downtown cathedral.

Ruffalo is nominated for best supporting actor for his role as a tenacious investigative reporter who helped uncover abuse by Catholic priests in a series for the Boston Globe. The film is also nominated for best picture, and McCarthy is nominated for best director and as a co-writer of the script.

The rally was one of several nationwide organized by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

The Times reports Ruffalo told the group, “I’m here to stand with the survivors and the victims and the people we’ve lost from Catholic priest childhood sex abuse.”

___

3:25 p.m.

He’s not up for an Academy Award but there’s a reason chef Wolfgang Puck gets one of the loudest ovations of any celebrity on the Oscar red carpet: chocolate.

Puck’s arrival Sunday created a fan frenzy in the Oscar bleachers outside the Dolby Theatre when he tossed handfuls of plastic-wrapped chocolate Oscars to the crowd.

Fans scrambled to grab the tasty treats, which will also be served to celebrities at the post-Oscars Governors Ball.

___

3:10 p.m.

Rev. Al Sharpton is threatening larger protests if the Academy Awards ever has an all-white slate of actors nominated for Oscars again.

Sharpton addressed a group of several dozen protesters near the Dolby Theatre where the Oscars will be handed out Sunday evening. He has called for a boycott of the 88th annual awards show and told the group he will organize larger protests if diversity complaints are not addressed.

Sharpton says, “This will be the last night of an all-white Oscars.”

All 20 actors nominated Sunday are white. Sharpton criticized the Oscars for failing to nominate films such as “Straight Outta Compton,” ”Creed” or “Concussion” for any of its top honors.

Sharpton led the group in a march around the parking lot of a vacant shopping center in Hollywood. The group shouted, “This is what diversity looks like!”

The Oscars are being hosted by comedian Chris Rock and Sharpton did not want to criticize him.

Sharpton says, “He tells jokes, I tell the truth.”

Sharpton also said his group is not protesting actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio, who is nominated for best actor. Sharpton says, “We are not anti-Leonardo. We are anti-exclusion.”

– Derrik J. Lang (derrikjlang on Twitter)

___

2:50 p.m.

The weather is perfect for the Oscars red carpet.

Skies are partly sunny in Los Angeles and it’s 73 degrees on Hollywood Boulevard outside the Dolby Theatre with a slight breeze.

It’s a far cry from last year’s cold and showery conditions.

There’s no plastic covering the carpet, leaving it open to reveal a palm tree backdrop along the boulevard.

___

2:30 p.m.

Protesters urging a boycott of the Academy Awards are congregating near the venue where the awards are being presented Sunday.

Dozens of protesters converged on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue holding signs and calling for more diversity in feature films. The protest site is near the Dolby Theatre and on a route traveled by many Oscars attendees and media covering the ceremony.

Some of the signs include the slogans, “Hollywood Must do Better” and “Shame on You.”

Protesters also yelled, “Hollywood, Hollywood, you ain’t looking so good” and “I got to be up on that screen.”

The protests are part of a boycott of the 88th annual Academy Awards organized by Rev. Al Sharpton.

Sharpton called this year’s ceremony, which features an all-white slate of acting nominees, the “white Oscars” during a press conference Sunday.

– Derrik J. Lang (derrikjlang on Twitter)

___

9 a.m.

Hollywood is bracing for an Academy Awards that more than any in recent memory, has the feel of a high-stakes showdown.

After a second straight year of all-white acting nominees prompted industry-wide scrutiny, viewers and stars alike are hanging on the opening words of host Chris Rock. The Dolby Theatre ceremony, which begins at 8:30 p.m. EST, stands at the center of a swirling storm over diversity in the movies and at the Oscars. Protests are planned near the red carpet and some viewers are organizing a boycott of the broadcast.

The Academy Awards, normally decorous and predictable, are this year charged with enough politics and uncertainty to rival an election debate.

Best picture is considered up for grabs, with “The Revenant,” ”The Big Short” and “Spotlight” in the mix.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/28/spotlight-wins-original-screenplay-oscar/feed/13187035 things we are looking forward to on Oscar Nighthttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/27/5-things-we-are-looking-forward-to-on-oscar-night/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/27/5-things-we-are-looking-forward-to-on-oscar-night/#respondSat, 27 Feb 2016 11:34:55 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=318513Even with the threat of boycott and questions of relevancy, the 88th Academy Awards will be worth checking out this year -- if only to see how the show will address these issues.]]>

Even with the threat of boycott and questions of relevancy, the 88th Academy Awards will be worth checking out this year — if only to see how the show will address these issues.

And with Chris Rock hosting, the show is sure to address them right from the start.

After a slew of stars spoke out about the lack of diversity in Oscar nominees for the second year in a row, Rock scrapped his opening monologue and began rewriting it.

“As things got a little provocative and exciting, he said, ‘I’m throwing out the show I wrote and writing a new show,'” Oscars producer Reginald Hudlin told “Entertainment Tonight” last month.

“Chris is that thorough,” Hudlin continued. “He’s that brilliant, and I have 1,000-percent confidence that he will deliver something that people will be talking about for weeks.”

Hudlin said that Rock, 50, won’t shy away from the controversy either.

“You should expect [Oscars diversity jokes],” Hudlin revealed. “And, yes, the Academy is ready for him to do that. They’re excited about him doing that. They know that’s what we need. They know that’s what the public wants, and we deliver what the people want.”

Rock has already cracked a joke about the Oscars’ diversity issue. Last month, soon after the nominations were announced, he tweeted, “The #Oscars. The White BET Awards.”

Rock’s opening monologue is only one of the things we’re looking forward to Oscar night. Here are four others:

Hudlin and Hill

“Django Unchained” Oscar nominee Hudlin and former “American Idol” executive producer David Hill will helm the awards for the first time this year. Both are capable of putting on a great show. Hudlin, who produced last year’s nontelevised Governors Awards, has been executive producer of the NAACP Awards show since 2012. Hill, who won an Emmy for the 2011 World Series broadcast as former chairman and CEO of Fox Sports Media Group, is a master of live and reality television.

The Speeches

Chris Rock surely won’t be the only person speaking out about diversity at the Oscars. Look for the winners and presenters to get a word or more in as well. Then check out social media, which will looking for the next hashtag like #OscarsSoWhite.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is on fire this year. Last month, she won her first Golden Globe for acting for her starring role in “American Horror Story: Hotel.” Earlier this month, she knocked it out of the park with her performance of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl and her tribute to the late David Bowie at the Grammys. Now, she’s up for an Oscar for the song “Til It Happens to You,” co-written with eight-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren, for the documentary “The Hunting Ground.” Gaga will take the stage solo to perform the song during the telecast.

Sam Smith and The Weeknd

Gaga won’t be the music industry’s only star performing Oscar night. The Weeknd, coming off his Grammy wins, and Sam Smith, who won a Golden Globe last month, will both perform their Oscar nominated songs, “Earned It” from “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “Writing’s on the Wall” from the Bond film “Spectre,” respectively.

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/27/5-things-we-are-looking-forward-to-on-oscar-night/feed/0318513WWAY is the place Oscar Sundayhttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/26/wway-is-the-place-oscar-sunday/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/26/wway-is-the-place-oscar-sunday/#respondSat, 27 Feb 2016 04:59:30 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=318335Check out our previews of the Academy Awards, then tune in to WWAY at 8:30 p.m. Sunday for the 88th Oscars hosted by Chris Rock!]]>

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Who will win the big prizes? Who will be best-dressed on the red carpet? What will host Chris Rock say about the #OscarSoWhite controversy? The answers are coming up Sunday night, and it’s all happening right here on WWAY.

WWAY and ABC are your home for all things Oscars. Check out our line-up Sunday night:

If you want to enjoy Hollywood’s biggest night right here in Hollywood East, then #ThisIsThePlace for you on WWAY and ABC!

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/26/wway-is-the-place-oscar-sunday/feed/0318335OSCAR CHAT: Hunter Ingram gives us his take on the Academy Awardshttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/26/oscar-chat-hunter-ingram-gives-us-his-take-on-the-academy-awards/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/26/oscar-chat-hunter-ingram-gives-us-his-take-on-the-academy-awards/#respondSat, 27 Feb 2016 00:21:18 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=318429Hunter Ingram with the Star News joins us on GOOD EVENING WILMINGTON to talk about some of the films and actors up for an Oscar on Sunday night. ]]>

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Hunter Ingram with the Star News joined us on GOOD EVENING WILMINGTON to talk about some of the films and actors up for an Oscar on Sunday night.

Check out the video above to see who he thinks will be the big winners at the Academy Awards. Then tune in Sunday at 8:30 p.m. for the 88th Oscars hosted by Chris Rock on ABC and WWAY.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover county man recently opened an oddities shop called “Whatever…Wilmington”.

As you can imagine, it is quite the unique store filled with a lot of history.

“I want them to walk and be a little bit amazed that the store even exists,” said Owner Kenyata Sullivan.

The Wilmington native has had a passion for the rare and the unusual since he was a kid.

After collecting items for more than 30 years, he has expanded his online shop to a store on Castle Street.

“Whatever…Wilmington is a pop culture curiosity shop where we are trying to find things you can’t find anywhere else and put it all in the same place,” Sullivan said

The store is filled from floor-to-ceiling with movie memorabilia and props, comics books, posters, vintage toys. He says nothing is too far from the imagination.

Sullivan said, “I wanted to build a store that never existed when I was growing up but I would loved to go into.”

“I have the robe that Dino DeLaurentiis’ wore from the movie “Dune” and he kept it,” said Sullivan” This came from his estate.”

He says some things you just can’t put a price tag on like this piece from the movie “Blue Velvet”.

“Just last week we were contacted by auction house out of New York wanting to put it in their March auction and we told them no,” Sullivan said. “We decided this is not for sale. This is part of Wilmington movie and television history and it’s much better for people to just come and see it.”

He says he also views the shop somewhat as a museum.

“People forget that this is not all about money” Sullivan said. “It’s about joy. You know it’s about enjoying culture and enjoying all of this stuff.”

He adds that he is always on a hunt for the next treasure.

“We are always looking for where there is only one,” Sullivan said. “There are so many ways to be delighted by the things in this room.”

NEW YORK (AP) – “Star Wars: Episode VIII” has begun filming and has added Benicio del Toro and Laura Dern to its cast.

The Walt Disney Co. announced Monday that “Episode VIII” started principal photography at London’s Pinewood Studios on Monday. Written and directed by Rian Johnson, the “Star Wars” sequel will follow J.J. Abrams’ box-office smash “The Force Awakens.” It’s set for release in December 2017.

The production start announcement was accompanied by a brief video that showed shooting picking up right where “The Force Awakens” left off, with Johnson directing Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) on a remote island off the coast of Ireland.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/15/star-wars-episode-viii-starts-filming-adds-del-toro/feed/0312530Nicholas Sparks’ ‘The Choice’ premieres, local actors and film workers attendhttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/04/307623/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/04/307623/#respondFri, 05 Feb 2016 04:35:18 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=307623But locals in the film industry seemed hopeful the industry will pick up as they checked out the premiere of a Nicholas Sparks’ movie which was filmed in the Cape Fear.]]>

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — North Carolina’s film industry has taken a hit since a film grant replaced tax incentives. But locals in the film industry seemed hopeful the industry will pick up as they checked out the premiere of a Nicholas Sparks’ movie which was filmed in the Cape Fear.

The romance drama called The Choice is about an unlikely couple trying to see how far each other will go to keep their love alive. It premiered Thursday night in Wilmington.

The Cape Fear’s beautiful waterways and land marks, set the scene for The Choice. The Choice wasn’t only filmed at some familiar locations like the Dockside restaurant and the Intrac+oastal Water Way at Wrightsville Beach , but it also featured locals as extras and had local crew members.

Some of the film’s background actors and crew members got together to check out the film at Mayfaire.

“I love seeing myself in movies. Some people don’t like seeing themselves but I love it,” said Charlotte Jelinovic about being an extra in the film.

“It’s always really exciting to be at the premiere but especially when you see yourself for one brief shining moment,” said Linda Ryan who was another background actor in the film.

Marty Siu, the film’s extras casting director, said it’s good to see a North Carolina film hit theaters, especially since lawmakers took away film incentives forcing many actors and crew members to work out of state.

“When tax incentives for filmmaking were taken away from North Carolina it hurt a lot of us crews members, about four thousand of us,” said Siu. “My last two jobs I had to go back and forth to Savanna Georgia. Commuting back and forth to Georgia has been very difficult.”

TNT’s Good Behavior and the History Channel’s Six are planned to be filmed in the Cape Fear. Siu said she is beginning work on Six in March.

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/02/04/307623/feed/0307623Oscars producer says Chris Rock is rewriting monologuehttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/01/24/oscars-producer-says-chris-rock-is-rewriting-monologue/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/01/24/oscars-producer-says-chris-rock-is-rewriting-monologue/#respondSun, 24 Jan 2016 16:42:28 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=300857An Oscars producer said host Chris Rock completed his opening monologue for the awards show a week ago, but now he's scrapped it and is re-writing it after the controversy surrounding this year's show.]]>

An Oscars producer said host Chris Rock completed his opening monologue for the awards show a week ago, but now he’s scrapped it and is rewriting it after the controversy surrounding this year’s show.

Many stars have spoken out about the lack of diversity in Oscar nominees for the second year in a row, slamming the Academy for being too homogeneous. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith said they would not attend this year’s show, as did director Spike Lee.

Oscars producer Reginald Hudlin told Entertainment Tonight: “Chris is hard at work. He and his writing staff locked themselves in a room. As things got a little provocative and exciting, he said, ‘I’m throwing out the show I wrote and writing a new show.’

“Chris is that thorough,” Hudlin continued. “He’s that brilliant, and I have 1000 percent confidence that he will deliver something that people will be talking about for weeks.”

Hudlin said that Rock, 50, won’t shy away from the controversy during the 88th Academy Awards, set to take place Feb. 28.

“You should expect [Oscars diversity jokes],” Hudlin revealed. “And, yes, the Academy is ready for him to do that. They’re excited about him doing that. They know that’s what we need. They know that’s what the public wants, and we deliver what the people want.”

Rock has already cracked a joke about the Oscars’ diversity issue. He tweeted earlier this month, “The #Oscars. The White BET Awards.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences responded to the controversy Friday, announcing an overhaul of its membership policy. The organization’s board voted unanimously to make the voting members “significantly” more diverse, with the goal to double the number of women and diverse members by 2020.

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/01/24/oscars-producer-says-chris-rock-is-rewriting-monologue/feed/0300857Two stars to boycott 2016 Oscarshttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/01/18/two-stars-to-boycott-2016-oscars/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/01/18/two-stars-to-boycott-2016-oscars/#respondMon, 18 Jan 2016 16:27:50 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=296342After hinting at a boycott this weekend, Jada Pinkett Smith said today she plans to sit out the 88th Academy Awards, which will be broadcast on ABC on Feb. 28.]]>

After hinting at a boycott this weekend, Jada Pinkett Smith said today she plans to sit out the 88th Academy Awards, which will be broadcast on ABC on Feb. 28.

The actress, whose husband, Will Smith, was an Oscar nominee contender for his role in NFL football drama “Concussion,” said in a Facebook video she was disappointed by the lack of diversity in Oscar nominations.

“Begging for acknowledgement or even asking [to be nominated] diminishes dignity,” she said in the video. “It diminishes power and we are a dignified people and we are powerful. And let’s not forget it. So let’s let the Academy do them with all grace and love and let’s do us differently.”

Pinkett Smith, 44, also had a message for this year’s host, Chris Rock.

“Chris, I will not be at the Academy Awards and I won’t be watching but I can’t think of a better man to do the job at hand this year then you my friend,” she said. “Good luck.”

We must stand in our power.

Still, Rock, 50, isn’t afraid to take a critical look at this year’s award, either. He tweeted last week: “The #Oscars. The White BET Awards.”

It appears Pinkett Smith is taking a page from her husband’s playbook. Will Smith, 47, along with DJ Jazzy Jeff, led a boycott of the Grammy Awards in 1989 when it refused to televise the rap category in which they won.

Pinkett Smith isn’t the only star to boycott this year. Spike Lee also announced today that he won’t be attending the awards show, despite being honored with an honorary trophy last year.

“I Would Like To Thank President Cheryl Boone Isaacs And The Board Of Governors Of The Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences For Awarding Me an Honorary Oscar This Past November. I Am Most Appreciative,” he wrote on Instagram next to a photo of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

“However My Wife, Mrs. Tonya Lewis Lee And I Will Not Be Attending The Oscar Ceremony This Coming February. We Cannot Support It And Mean No Disrespect To My Friends, Host Chris Rock and Producer Reggie Hudlin, President Isaacs And The Academy.”

Lee, 58, added, “It’s No Coincidence I’m Writing This As We Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday. …For Too Many Years When The Oscars Nominations Are Revealed, My Office Phone Rings Off The Hook With The Media Asking Me My Opinion About The Lack Of African-Americans And This Year Was No Different. For Once, (Maybe) I Would Like The Media To Ask All The White Nominees And Studio Heads How They Feel About Another All White Ballot. If Someone Has Addressed This And I Missed It Then I Stand Mistaken.”

It’s the second year in a row that critics and social media commentators have blasted the Academy Award nods for lack of diversity. This year, not one person of color was nominated for the coveted gold trophy in top categories such as Best Actor or Actress and Best Supporting Actor or Actress.

Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who is African-American, has responded to the critiques.

Although Isaacs was not available for an interview with ABC News, she told ABC station KABC-TV in Los Angeles, “We are being louder and louder and we are going to continue this conversation and we’re going to do more than just talk.”

]]>http://www.wwaytv3.com/2016/01/18/two-stars-to-boycott-2016-oscars/feed/0296342‘Star Wars’ breaks box office record with opening nighthttp://www.wwaytv3.com/2015/12/18/star-wars-breaks-box-office-record-with-opening-night/
http://www.wwaytv3.com/2015/12/18/star-wars-breaks-box-office-record-with-opening-night/#respondFri, 18 Dec 2015 22:15:48 +0000http:wway.wcbi.com/?p=277741"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has set a box office record with an estimated $57 million from last night's shows. ]]>

NEW YORK (AP) – “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has sent a box office record with an estimated $57 million from Thursday night shows.

The Walt Disney Co.’s estimate on Friday easily surpassed the previous Thursday night record of $43.5 million by 2011’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.”

The movie’s international rollout, which began Wednesday, has brought in a total of $72.7 million. That includes the biggest single day ever in the United Kingdom, where it made an estimated $14.4 million.

The early figures suggest “The Force Awakens” is on course to exceed the record domestic opening of “Jurassic World,” which debuted with $208.8 million.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)